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It has been one of the most talked about and hyped-up movies of the past several months. Filmed over five days for a measly $11,000, “Paranormal Activity” catapulted from low-budget obscurity to serious buzz thanks to a clever marketing campaign. With trailers mostly showing audience reactions, the film broke limited release records, fanning the flames of interest around the nation. But what really made the film’s marketing the first of its kind was its Web site, which enabled fans to request the film to play in their cities. With rave reviews and a first-of-its-kind promotion, “Paranormal Activity” has a lot of hype to live up to, and it certainly delivers.
The film revolves around young couple Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat). Katie has been haunted by some demonic presence since she was eight years old, which causes unexplainable things to happen wherever she goes. Micah is skeptical of her story, so he buys a video camera and records their daily and nightly activities, hoping to discover anything bizarre that might occur. Initially small but strange things happen at night, like the sound of footsteps or the bedroom door moving by itself. As the film progresses, things become worse and worse for the couple with more unexplainable and impossible events taking place in their San Diego home.
Without a doubt, “Paranormal Activity” is the scariest movie I have ever seen. Director Oren Peli’s amazing pacing and tone sent chills down my spine. I loved it, but I can understand why some people left partway through the film because it constantly keeps you on the edge of your seat. This is definitely one of those films where you either love it or hate it. While I love the gradual pace of the film, getting steadily scarier as it moves forward and ultimately climaxing with a chilling ending, some viewers won’t like “Paranormal Activity” because it builds up slowly. There aren’t any scenes where you jump as a result of excessive gore and violence. The thrill of the movie is watching not only the nightly phenomenon caused by the unseen demonic presence, but watching the effects it has on Katie and Micah.
Katie and Micah’s relationship feels so real that I almost forgot I was watching a movie. Their chemistry is nearly perfect as they bicker and talk to each other. As the phenomenon gets worse over the course of the movie, they become more and more sleep deprived, bringing a believable tension between the two of them. But they clearly seem to love each other, and when they get into arguments over the course of the film, you see the two make up while trying to deal with whatever the demon wants from them.
“Paranormal Activity” is done in a first-person view and if films like “Cloverfield” or “The Blair Witch Project” give you motion sickness, you might want to stay home; however, if you enjoy films done with a one-camera perspective, you will be pleased to know that “Paranormal Activity” looks like genuine found footage released for your viewing pleasure. When the camera is set up overnight, the time is displayed in the corner of the screen, and the footage is sped up every night to start when the occurrences happen around the house. Other than that, it feels like you’re watching it right off the couple’s camera. There is no soundtrack, music, opening titles or real credits. Though it’s not the first film to incorporate traits like these, it does add to the eeriness of the film and makes you feel as though you are one of the first people to see the footage on the screen.
The most commonly criticized part of the movie seems to be the ending. Though I thought it was one of the scariest parts of the film, it is viewed by some as cliché. But for those of you that feel that way, there are reportedly over three other alternate endings that were filmed and tested. With the possibility of these on a future DVD release, the film might be even better, since watching a film with this style in your home at night will make going to sleep much more of a challenge.
If you can get into the film early on and won’t mind the gradual pace, find a theater that’s playing “Paranormal Activity” and get another few reasons to have nightmares again. You won’t be disappointed in one of the scariest films to come to theaters in a long time.
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